Dyeing and finishing textile fabrics



Mamh 1957 E. J. GRAJECK E'I'AL 2,

DYEING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS Filed July 8, 1953 PIC-7:1

ATTORNEYS United States Patent DYEING AND FINISHING TEXTILE FABRICS Edwin J. Grajeck, Philadelphia, Joseph F. Kalina, Havertown, and Christian T. Wagner, Jr., Lafayette Hill, Pa., assignors to Collins & Aikman Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application July 8, 1953, Serial No. 366,725

2 Claims. (Cl. 8-151) This invention relates to a process for dyeing and finishing textile fabrics and particularly to a process for the uniform dyeing of frieze and pile fabrics in which the face is made up of synthetic fibers like viscose or rayon and the like, or mixtures of such materials with natural fibers of cotton, wool, mohair or the like.

Since the advent of viscose, rayon and other cellulosic fibers, it has been recognized that the dyeing and finishing of fabrics containing such fibers presents a number of problems, and that these problems. are particularly tro'ublesomein the'dyeing and finishing of fabrics containing such fibers or mixtures of them with natural fibers. A principal difiiculty in the dyeing of fabrics of this sort has beenin achieving'uniform dyeing and the desired finish without deforming the pile. In the processes heretofore employed, various compromises have been attempted in which changes have been made either in the dyeing or the finishing operations, but in such cases either the dyeing or the finishing, or both, have been adversely afiected by the compromise.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a continuous process for the dyeing and finishing of pile and other fabrics containing synthetic fibers which will provide a satisfactory even dyeing and, at the same time, provide a finishing of the fabrics without deforming the pile or marring the faces of the fabrics. As described in detail hereinafter, this process includes the combination of a cold dyeing step followed by an aging step, special provision being made for avoiding pressure contact of the face or the pile of the fabric with a roller or other smooth surfaced element at all times during the period in which the fabric is in a heated condition, thus avoiding incidental compression of the fibers while they are heated.

Fig. 1 of the attached drawing illustrates diagrammatically in longitudinal section, an apparatus suitable for the dyeing and finishing of pile fabrics in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 shows the cross section of a pin roller of which there are several embodied in the apparatus as hereinafter more fully explained; and

Fig. 3 is a broken out perspective view of the roller shown in Fig. 2.

As disclosed in the drawings, the fabric designated F is first passed through a unit 1 in which it is dyed at a temperature of about 70 F. to about 160 F. It is next passed through a steam chamber or ager 2 and then, in succession, through cold water wash and rinse bath units 3 and 4. An after treating solution is next applied in unit 5 which is operated to carry out a cold impregnation process. This is followed by another cold water wash bath unit 6 after which the fabric is passed through still another unit 7 which operates like the unit 1 for cold impregnation of the fabric with a moth proofing solution.

The dyeing unit 1 is in the form of a padder comprising a pair of horizontally arranged rolls 8 and 9 between which the fabric is passed for penetration by a cold dye solution maintained in the bight of saidrolls, the solution being continually delivered at a regulatable rate through the gravity discharge spout of a supply reservoir 10 in which the dye solution is constantly stirred by a rotary agitator 11. After rounding the roll 9 of unit 1, the fabric passes upward to a pair of'laterallyspaced overhead guide rolls 12 and 13 journalled in a fixed bracket 14 at one end of the housing 15 of steaming unit 2 while maintained under slight tension by a loopsuspended rise and fall roll 16. Upon leaving guide roll 13, the fabric passes downward to a group ofdriven guide rolls 18 by which it is directed into the steaming unit 2 at the bottom, said rolls being journalled in another bracket projection 19 on housing 15. In the interval be: tween guide rolls 13 and 18, the fabric is subjected to the action of a rotary beater 20 for opening the pile, the blades of said heater striking the back of the fabric with consequent prevention of injury to the pile. As it enters unit 2, the fabric underpasses a heated channel section baflle which is represented diagrammatically at 21. This baflie serves as a means for catching condensate drip from the proximate wall 15 of unit 2 and thus prevents the drip from dropping onto the fabric, and at the same time operates as a means for evaporating the condensate so caught. In traversing the steam chamber 2, the fabric is traveled upand down in a serpentine circuit by passage over and under suitably spaced upper and lower rolls 22 and 23.- his to be noted that the upper. rolls 22 are contacted by the back of the fabric, and

that the lower rolls 23 are equipped with pins allth'e way across as'best shown in Fig. 3. Direct'pressure contact of the smooth portion of roll 23 with the face or the pile of the fabric is thus avoided as will be understood from Fig. 2. Water in a tank 25 at the bottom of the chamber 2 is evaporated by a submerged steam coil 26, the evaporation escaping upwardly into the chamber through transverse slots 27 in the top 28 of said tank. The heating coil 26 is so controlled as to maintain the evaporation in chamber 2 at a temperature between 210 F., and 212 F., and condensation is prevented within said chamber by circulation of steam in a chest 29 at the top of the enclosure 15. The fabric leaves the steaming unit 2 at the left hand end over and under guide rolls 30 and 31, where a heated protective bafile 32, similar to the baflle 21, is provided to catch the condensate drip from the other wall of said unit. After underrunning guide roll 31, the fabric is directed upward over a pair of overhead guide rolls 33 and 34 journalled in a bracket 35 extending from the housing 15 of unit 2 at the left hand end, and from thence downward into a wash bath of running cold water in the tank 36 of unit 3. After the fabric emerges from tank 36 en route to overhead guide rolls 37 and 38, the excess entrained wash water is incidently removed therefrom by an extractor 39 to which a suction pump 40 is connected. From roll 38, the fabric is directed downward into a rinse bath of running cold water in the tank 41 of unit 4 and, upon emerging from the latter en route to another pair of overhead guide rolls 42 and 43, excess entrained rinse water is removed by a suction extractor 45 similar to extractor 39. From roll 43 the fabric is directed downward to pass between the rolls 46 and 47 of padder unit 5 for impregnation with a suitable cold dye setting or permanentizing solution which is continuously discharged from a supply tank 48 into the bight of the padder rolls. However, before the fabrics enters unit 5, its pile is again opened up by action of another rotary beater indicated at 49. After leaving the padder 5 and overtravelling another pair of overhead guide rolls 50 and 51, the fabric is directed downward into the tank 52 of unit 6 for treatment once more with cold rinse water, and en route from said unit to another pair of overhead i @91 ii m a e el ta moved by still another suction extractor 55. From roll 7 guide rol ls 5 3 gin c154, theentrainedrinse water is re- 54, Hie fabric is directed between the roll's'57 and 58-0f understood that the various rotary elernents of the ap- Pate? e an teen a th sa e. i f e e speed by a suitable transmission system (notshoyyn) and is thcrefo' fiifOIlIilY progressed without imposition of any stretching strains therein. As will be seen, the face or pile TofItheJfabric is positiyely fia'd m contact with t e So 0 a b ng??? t sproi t Qm the latter. The face, or pile is thus prevented froni being crushed, and is effectively r'naintained in open condition during passageiof the fabricthrough the ager in being subjected to hot stearn By treatn ent in accordance,

t mo nt ov 'e hen un f m j d tri ut n e f' the ej mfir n e lt e. rut t n cherriical liquids as solutions or dispersions) throughout the fabric 'isfachie ed. '7 Properties such as light fastness, w'ash ,fas'tnes's, perspiration fastness and crocki ngfastn ess pfbdii'cd by this method are commercially acceptable.

Hayiiigfthiis described our inyention, we claim;

1. continiiciiis inethodof dyeing and finishing pile fabi'icconfainin g syntheticyarng s aid method comprising thesuccs'siye steps, of dyeing the fabric; beating the backofithefabfi c afterthe Idyeing to open up the pile; subjecting the dyed fabric to the action of steam incident to passing it over a number of spaced plain surface rolls Withthe back side of the fabriccontacting sai'd' rolls and over anumber of spaced pin rolls with the pile face of "the fabric contacting said {in rolls for inain'teaaac'e of the pile in its original upright position; partially drying the'fabric after the steaming; again beating the back of the fabric after it has partially dried to further open the pile; and finally collecting the fabric after it has com pletely dried.

2. The continuous niethod of 'dy ei'n'g'a'nd finishing pile fabric containing synthetic yarns, SQidtQIQIhOd QQlJI PEiS l Ilg the snccessi e steps dyeing fthe fab ric; beating the back of the fabric after the dyeing to open up the pile; subjecting the dyed fabric to the action of ste'am incident to diverting the fabric in a sinuous course about a series of separated plain surface rolls With the backside of the fabric contacting said rolls and over a series of separated pin rolls with the pile face of the fabric contacting said pin rolls; partially drying the fabric after the steaming;

again beating the back f the fabric after the fabric has partially dried to f irther open the pile; and finally collecting the fabric after it has completely dried.

' impasse Cited in be me or this pawn f UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CONTINUOUS METHOD OF DYEING AND FINISHING PILE FABRIC CONTAINING SYNTHETIC YARNS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE SUCCESSIVE STEPS OF DYEING THE FABRIC; BEATING THE BACK OF THE FABRIC AFTER THE DYEING TO OPEN UP THE PILE; SUBJECTING THE DYED FABRIC TO THE ACTION OF STEAM INCIDENT TO PASSING IT OVER A NUMBER OF SPACED PLAIN SURFACE ROLLS WITH THE BACK SIDE OF THE FABRIC CONTACTING SAID ROLLS AND OVER A NUMBER OF SPACED PIN ROLLS WITH THE PILE FACE OF THE FABRIC CONTACTING SAID PIN ROLLS FOR MAINTAINENCE OF THE PILE IN ITS ORIGINAL UPRIGHT POSITION; PARTIALLY DRYING THE FABRIC AFTER THE STEAMING; AGAIN BEATING THE BACK OF THE FABRIC AFTER IT HAS PARTIALLY DRIED TO FURTHER OPEN THE PILE; AND FINALLY COLLECTING THE FABRIC AFTER IT HAS COMPLETELY DRIED. 